Volume II

Issue : 11: May 27, 2004

• UK Government Indicates Privacy Legislation Unnecessary
• Ontario Court Rules Videotaped Evidence from Nanny Camera is Admissible
• The FBI Plans on Prosecuting Email Spammers Pursuant to the Can-Spam Act as Reformed Spammer Claims Compliance has been Disadvantageous for Business
• Canadian MPs Release Interim Report on Copyright Reform
• Canadian Company All Computers Seeks $500M from Intel in U.S. Patent Suit
• Canadian Government Releases Framework for Electronic Authentication
• Overstock Leads Charge against Spyware
• Australian Man Sentenced for Cross-Border Cyberstalking
• UK Watchdog Fines Six Foreign Companies for Text Spam and Scams
• Tax Court of Canada Rules that Taking Online Distance Course is not Commuting

Home > Volume II > Issue 11: May 27, 2004 > Overstock Leads Charge against Spyware

Overstock Leads Charge against Spyware

Overstock.com, an online "closeout" retailer, has filed a complaint against SmartBargains Inc., a competitor online retailer, under Utah's new Spyware Control Act. Overstock alleges that SmartBargains is using spyware to display pop-up ads over Overstock's website. Spyware is secretly installed on a computer when its user downloads free software programs from the Internet. It is then used to collect personal information and deliver unwanted pop-up ads while the user is browsing the Internet. Overstock's president compares the effect of pop-up ads on web browsing to the effect of spam on email. Although Utah is the first state to pass anti-spyware legislation, other states are considering following suit.

For more information, visit:

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040519/law056_1.html